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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · stick · mine · chip · drill · scale · perch · prune

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. drill — army training
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — in music
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. drill — a practice
  22. perch — the fish
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chip — to eat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com